


Home for the Holidays

by ExoAir



Category: Apex Legends (Video Games)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, F/M, Flirting, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Self-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:20:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28383123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ExoAir/pseuds/ExoAir
Summary: Dr. Caustic isn't the type of person to celebrate the holidays, but he's made an uncharacteristic decision this year to spend it with you. Make no mistake, he's still his savagely brutal self in the arena, but at home, he happens to be a loveable teddy bear that treats you with care.
Relationships: Caustic | Alexander Nox/Reader, Caustic | Alexander Nox/You
Kudos: 33





	Home for the Holidays

  
  


The frosted windows rattled softly as the cold, snowy air blew hard against them.

You shivered as you wrapped yourself with two thick blankets, trying your hardest to fall asleep. As much as you enjoyed the winter season, you always had a hard time staying warm regardless of how many layers you wrapped yourself in. You blankly stared at the ceiling then turned to the empty spot next to you. A sigh escaped your breath as you longingly thought of your partner.

It had been several weeks since the Legends left for Olympus. Every so often throughout the day, you checked in on the games to keep an eye on your favorite Legend. You knew that the Syndicate would never allow any of their precious contestants to be harmed. Regardless of the precautions, it was still an unpleasant sight to see Alexander getting gunned down. As capable as he was in the lab and in the arena, there was no shaking the immense worry you had for him.

You reached for your phone and commenced your nightly search for any recent news on the games. Unsurprisingly, tonight seemed to be no different as you nonchalantly scrolled through numerous articles discussing gossip and conspiracy theories. As you glanced at the top of the screen to check the time, you noticed that someone had left you a message a few hours earlier. You opened it and listened:

_There’s a high probability that you’re sleeping by the time I send this, but I wanted to let you know that I’ll be coming home soon. The others are eager to return to their friends and families for the holidays, and for the first time in years, I find myself in a similar situation._

Alexander softly cleared his throat, creating a brief pause in the recording.

_Anyhow, I look forward to the upcoming winter months; I’ll undoubtedly be able to work in peace. Progress has been slow, though I can’t say I have many alternatives. I would much rather prefer to perform my research in my lab, but the games allow for a much broader range of data. The raw data I’ve been able to collect on Olympus has been quite remarkable—_

The older Legend coughed, stopping himself from going off on a tangent. You gave a small giggle as you fondly recalled the time when Alexander accidentally lectured you on the principles of thermodynamics. You recalled telling him ‘his nerd was showing’, to which he would grow red and subtly change the subject. Those moments rarely occurred, but you adored him for it either way. 

Alexander chuckled and continued:

_Forgive me. Being confined on this ship has made me more irritable than usual, but I digress. Oh, before I forget to mention, I’ve been meaning to remind you about this: I placed a spare blanket in the top drawer of the dresser just in case the temperature drops drastically. In any case, there are a few things I need to tend to before I head to bed myself, so I won’t keep you. I’ll see you soon. Sleep well._

A gleeful smile stretched across your face as the message ended. You quickly scurried out of bed and immediately regretted doing so—chills shot through your body once your feet made contact with the wood floor. You swiftly grabbed the blanket from the dresser, then retreated back into bed as fast as you could. You wrapped yourself in the large, soft blanket and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

For the next few days, you kept yourself busy by being as active as possible; you felt better when you worked up a sweat. Additionally, it served as a good distraction until Alexander’s return. As cold as it was, the weather did a good job of lifting your spirits. Every radio station played every and all kinds of Christmas music, especially ‘ _All I Want for Christmas Is You_ ’—you would think that the future would play different songs, but some things never change. Still, it was hard to resist the temptation to do a little dance or hum to its catchy tune. 

To say you were feeling the Christmas spirit was an understatement. Usually, this was when you would sit down by the fireplace, enjoy a hot cup of cocoa, and decorate the Christmas tree, but Alexander didn’t seem to own any of those things. The fireplace was just a glorified electronic heater, and he didn’t seem to own any hot chocolate or a tree to decorate, which was to be expected considering that you didn’t think he celebrated the holidays in the first place.

There was nothing you could, so instead, you made yourself some tea, wrapped yourself with blankets, and got settled on the couch to watch some traditional Christmas movies. Once you found a suitable movie to watch, you pitifully turned on the “fireplace” in an attempt to trick yourself into a more ‘Christmas-like environment’, and tried your hardest to salvage what was left of your celebratory Christmas mood.

_Jingle All the Way_ was doing a fantastic job at keeping you entertained—like music, even movies had a strange way of sticking around even decades into the future. As your eyes stayed glued to the screen, nostalgia seemed to bring back some memories of your childhood, causing laughter or hints of melancholy. You were halfway through the movie when you heard the door unlock, which immediately caught your attention, prompting you to pause the movie.

Alexander stepped through the door with a surprising amount of snow on the shoulders of his coat. He shook off as much as could at the door then closed it.

“Hey! Welcome home!” You joyfully hollered as you craned your neck in the direction of the entrance.

Alexander breathed heavily as he set his duffle bag on the kitchen counter. You could tell he was exhausted but was very relieved to be home.

“Pardon me, am I interrupting something?” Alexander asked wittily as he made his way to the sink.

You got up from the couch and replied, “Nah, not at all, just doing what I do every year during the holidays: watching movies while I wrap myself in many layers of blankets.”

The older Legend finished washing his hands and replied, “I’m fully aware that I’ve been away for some time, but if I’m not mistaken, you do that quite regularly.”

You feigned offense as you playfully smack the side of his arm to which he responded with a soft chuckle. Even though Alexander was away for months, it felt as if nothing had changed within that time—as if he never left. But, there was a significant change with Alexander, something you spotted almost immediately as he walked through the door.

You reached up and caressed his cheek, slowly ruffling through his snow-white beard. You smiled, “So, I see you have your beard back—and white too! ”

“Ah, I see you’ve noticed my attire for this season’s events. It’s by far one of my least favorite outfits; a red and green suit is egregious in environments with snow.” Alexander grumbled.

You shrugged your shoulders and agreed, “All right, fair enough, it’s not the most advantageous gear to wear in the arena, but it’s great at shopping malls!” 

Alexander gave you a very unenthused expression, then returned, “For that remark alone, I would have no qualms putting you on my Naughty List—how impertinent.”

You thought about it for a second and countered with a sarcastically disappointed tone. “So I don’t get to sit on your lap and tell you what I want for Christmas?”

It took a few seconds for Alexander to understand what you meant. He rolled his eyes and covered his face with the palm of his hand, attempting to hide his embarrassment and growing-red face. You could have sworn you saw a smile on his face as you gave him a great big hug.

“I’m kidding!” You smiled as you tenderly wrapped your arms around the Legend’s neck. Once Alexander put his hand down, you could tell his face was a slight shade of red. He couldn’t bear to look at you, but he stole glances at you once or twice. You continued to smile at him and pecked him on the cheek.

“No, but seriously, I love the Santa Claus vibe you have going on! Very sexy.” 

Alexander tenderly put his hand on your back. “I appreciate your candor; perhaps I was too harsh in my earlier statement.”

“Oh, so now I ‘ _do’_ get to sit on your lap and tell you what I want for Christmas, then?”

The chemist offered a weak smile as he gave an expression of bashful defeat and decided it was in his best interest to not respond. Instead, he pardoned himself from the conversation and went into the bedroom—it was truly a delight to see the toxic trapper flustered as he was. Now that Alexander was home, you took it upon yourself to refill your tea mug and rummage through the pantry for any snacks that took your fancy. With tea and snacks in hand, you casually went back to the couch to continue watching the movie.

* * *

You finished watching the rest of the movie and gleefully prepared yourself for another movie to watch. You scrolled through many popular Christmas titles but couldn’t decide on which one to pick.

“I’m astounded you haven’t been able to pick another movie yet. It’s been at least ten minutes.”

You turned around to see Alexander dressed in very comfortable looking sweatpants and a dashing, ugly Christmas sweater, adorned with death boxes, Apex logos, and various emblems known in the Apex games, including his very own ‘Caustic’ insignia—and of course, he had a steaming cup of coffee in his signature mug; how he managed to brew coffee without you knowing was beyond you.

Your mouth dropped in surprise, completely speechless. You’ve never seen Alexander dress out of his usual attire beyond the Apex games. At home, he was very black and white with what he wore. 

“Uh, what is _that_?” You pointed to his sweater as if he brought an unspeakably horrid object into the room.

The older Legend was familiar with your antics to react strangely to his nonroutine behavior. He recalled the moment when you eyed him suspiciously all because he ‘forgot’ to make the bed, which would be very unusual since he is a very tidy person. However, it would turn out to be that it was all just a ruse to surprise you with a birthday gift. Regardless of what he did, anything out of the ordinary would be a red flag for you, which was just another one of the many things he loved about you: your innate ability to distinguish minor details.

“Ms. Paquette made this for me as a gift. If I’m not mistaken, she made personalized sweaters for every person.” Alexander casually explained.

“Well, she certainly did a good job if it made you wear something else for a change.”

He approached the couch and sat on the armrest. “Oh, and what do you know about what I wear, my esteemed detective?”

“You pretty much wear the same thing every day, and if you’re not wearing a lab coat, it either means you’re taking a shower or going to bed.” You giggled with sincerity.

Alexander chuckled. “I see your point, but not many people know my true nature during the holidays. In fact, Mr. Silva mentioned in passing that I am most likely something akin to that of _The Grinch_ during Christmas.”

“Ironically, you kinda are; everyone associates you with the color green, you’re frightening to other people, and you’re a sadistic tactician in the arena.” You count your fingers as you convey your points. “Oh, and you’re kinda hairy, too, but only I would know that—but I’m perfectly fine with that.”

The two of you looked at each other and immediately broke out in laughter. Alexander knew what people thought of him or what he would be like during the holidays, but only a few notable exceptions like you or Natalie would know what he would truly be like—he was more than satisfied with keeping it between a couple of people. If anyone else learned about his personal life, you could guarantee that person would not have an enjoyable experience getting to know Alexander personally.

* * *

You politely excuse yourself from the room as you appointed the older Legend in charge of picking the next movie. You sneakily went into the bedroom and grabbed the small box from the drawer of your nightstand you had prepared months ago, even before the Legends departed for Olympus. You remember you carefully researched what you could give Alexander as a gift: a plant would’ve been the perfect gift, but you knew nothing about plants, a thermos would’ve been great since he loved drinking coffee, but you knew there was an even better gift to give.

Eventually, you came up with an idea that seemed simultaneously insane and extremely intuitive. With the help of Tae Joon and Natalie, you were able to create a device that could transform either into essentially anything; the design was quite sleek and minimalistic and had a highly advanced AI with a built-in holographic screen. Simply put, it was a really fancy, custom-built swiss-army knife—perfect to assist him in day-to-day activities and with his work.

With the gift in hand, you leave the bedroom and rejoin your movie companion in the living room. You crept up behind him, set down the gift on the floor, and covered his eyes with both hands. Alexander wasn’t phased in the slightest; his time in the games sharpened his senses to the point where nothing could surprise him. Besides, the wooden floors creaked ever so softly with every step you took, easily giving away your presence. 

“Might I be the one to suggest that one can be too old for surprises?” He softly sighed. “My heart can only take so much.”

You roll your eyes as you smile. “Please, you live for the sole purpose to blast people in the face with Peacekeepers, I think you’ll be _juuust_ fine.”

You and Alexander shared a small moment of laughter as you bent down and wrapped your arms around his neck. Your eyes met his as you both steadily leaned in for an intimate kiss. It was moderately awkward with the position the two of you were in, but it was a trivial matter. You were pulled into the motions just as easily as Alexander was. You closed your eyes as you grew engrossed by the sudden act of intimacy. The kiss was slow and gentle, and it certainly didn’t make up for the lost time since his time away on Olympus.

The kiss was slowly broken as you stood up, yet still slightly hunched over his head. “Still think you’re too old for surprises?” You gazed into his eyes completely enamored by his green eyes.

“Perhaps not.” He whispered as he reached up to caress your chin.

You giggle and quickly kiss his forehead. You grabbed the present from off the floor and joined him on the couch. You handed him the present and smiled, “Merry Christmas, Alex.”

For once, Alexander’s usual calm expression changed to complete astonishment. His eyebrows rose as the wrinkles on his forehead became more pronounced. He softly grabbed the gift from your hands as he carefully deconstructed the wrapping paper. You knew he was very methodical and surgical in everything he did even if it did include the opening of presents, but you found it absolutely adorable.

Once the Legend unwrapped the piece of advanced technology, he held it in his hand, meticulously studying it. You remained silent, fully expecting him to make sense of what it could possibly be. He tinkered with what few buttons there were and finally clasped it onto his wrist.

“Ingenious. Based on the austere design and feat of engineering, I would be most certain to say this is the work of Ms. Paquette, is it not?”

You smile with glee. “Okay, before I say anything, what do you think it is?”

Alexander continued to fiddle with the device, then suddenly, nanites formed around the bracelet in the form of a watch. A holographic display appeared along the exterior, showing the current time and date. Once again, his eyebrows rose in amazement. Almost immediately, he was able to access its other functionalities. You were amazed at how adept he was at learning the features; it took you a while to learn the intricacies and nuances even with the help of Natalie and Tae Joon.

“Hmm, a device capable of transmogrification. Fascinating.”

It was like seeing a kid open a present delivered by Santa himself, only this was the other way around and vastly different. 

“Check this out.” 

You tapped on the holographic screen a few times, then the nanites retreated into the palm of Alexander’s hand. Eventually, they formed into the configuration of glasses.

You grabbed the frames and gently placed them onto his face, adjusting them so that they fit perfectly on the bridge of his nose. “I know you forget your glasses every once in a while, so I figured this might help solve that problem. You can adjust the magnification and shape to your liking, so you could even have bifocals if you’d like.”

There was a look of absolute awe on Alexander’s face; it was a priceless expression and you wished you had taken a picture of it.

You count your fingers as you think out loud. “Uh, it’s completely water-proof and shock absorbent, and you pretty much have full control over everything. Its only limit is your imagination, but I know you’ll have plenty of ideas as to what to do with it.”

Alexander lovingly took your hands and held them in his own. You could feel the two distinct metal fingers against your skin, but they were just as warm as the rest of his hands. There was a bright smile on his face, a smile you have yet seen before. It obviously didn’t compare to Makoa’s contagious smile, but it made you smile all the same.

“There are not enough thank you’s in the universe that I could say that could amount to how appreciative I am of you...”

You brought up his hands and pecked it. “I know. You show me appreciation every time we’re together so that’s enough for me.”

Alexander removed one of his hands and began scratching at his beard. You knew immediately from this action that he was beginning to feel mawkish, something he genuinely didn’t express often even with you. You chuckled at this rare occurrence and quickly changed the subject.

“So, uh, that doodad doesn’t officially have a name. Tae Joon and Natalie helped me make it and they deserve all of the credit; I only helped in coming up with the idea. What even tipped you off that Natalie designed it?”

The older Legend chuckled. “I am quite familiar with her work; the framework for the device—it carries her signature, unlike anything I’ve ever seen. She’s remarkable, but I’m impressed you came up with such an intuitive concept by yourself.”

“Funny that you should mention it, but I actually came up with the idea in the shower believe it or not.” You commented as you gestured in the direction of the bathroom.

Alexander shrugged his shoulder in agreement. “Our best ideas come to us in ways we least expect them to. The chemical equation for my gas came about in such a manner.”

You raised your eyebrow in confusion. “You’re not seriously telling me you came up with the idea in the _shower_ to make your signature, corrosive gas?”

The good doctor’s facial expression remained neutral, unchanged. However, almost immediately, his mouth cracked with a subtle smile.

“You didn’t...” You replied with uncertainty. 

Alexander remained silent, amused at your sudden curiosity. Instead, he avoided eye contact with you and continued to take pleasure in keeping you in suspense. You asked a few more times, but figured it was best to drop the subject; after all, talking about his work was something Alexander preferred to keep quiet about—to bring to his grave, even.

The older Legend got up and pulled something large from under the couch; it was wrapped with red paper and tied with green ribbon. It was a rather big box and heavy by the looks of it. He sat back down and carefully handed it to you.

“Aren’t you supposed to leave this somewhere when I’m asleep? Some Santa you are...” You commented wittily as you looked up and down his resemblance to Saint Nicholas. 

“Traditionally, yes, but I don’t recall Santa ever playing by the rules.” He jested, throwing an innocent wink at you.

Unlike Alexander, you weren’t as surgical with the wrapping paper. Before you could rip into the gift, you had to undo the beautifully tied ribbon. Once you ripped away the singular layer of paper, all that was left a plain, large brown box. You lifted the lid and revealed a layer of tissue paper. You unfolded and dug through until you felt a hard surface. After removing some of the tissue paper, the gift revealed itself to be several photos of you and Alexander, placed in various frames of varying sizes. They all consisted of the two of you either doing completely mundane things or selfies taken in gorgeous sceneries.

“A-Alex, this is…”

You fondly followed the photos in sequence with your hand, each picture reminding you of the event, allowing you to replay it perfectly in your head—echoes of laughter and excited screams filled your head. Happiness surged in your chest, making tears form in your eyes. You carefully set the box aside as you propelled yourself into Alexander. You wrapped your arms around his chest for a firm hug and lay your head on his shoulder. As big of a man as he was, the force in which you thrust yourself into him caused an audible ‘oof’ to transpire.

“Who knew you were such a big romantic.” You sniffled as you squeezed your partner.

You could Alexander’s chest reverberate as he chuckled. He wrapped his arms around you and reciprocated your embrace. There were no words that either of you could say to each other that could genuinely express how much you truly loved each other. You slowly released Alexander from your clasp and reached up to hold his cheek in the palm of your hand.

“I’m relieved that you like it.”

You sniffled once again and breathed, “Like it? I _love_ it, Alex. This was a very thoughtful gift, thank you. Now we just have to find a spot for it.”

He pointed to the hallway. “Ah, I took the liberty of installing some studs into the wall—the empty spot near the bedroom.”

You stood up and conscientiously held the large frame in your hands as you brought it to the spot where Alexander mentioned it. The frame was heavy so lifting it up wasn’t the easiest task, but him being the absolute gentleman he is, he helped you lift it to place it perfectly on the studs with little to no effort.

“Do you know what I wanted this year for Christmas? ” You added nonchalantly.

Alexander raised a brow. “Hmm?”

“—To be able to spend more time with you; I know there are a lot of things that require your attention,” You turned around and looked at him with high regard. “But I’m just glad I got to spend Christmas with you.”

He reached up and affectionately stroked the side of your shoulder. “Of course. My work will undeniably take from the other aspects of my life, but I will do my utmost to ensure that will never come to pass regarding you or your wellbeing.”

You get on your tippy-toes and give him a quick peck on the cheek, acknowledging his commitment to you. You turn towards the living room to resume your yearly Christmas tradition; however, you heard Alexander clear his throat, attempting to get your attention.

The older Legend crossed his arms and leaned on a nearby wall. “Before we resume your “festivities”, there is one more inquiry I must ask you.”

You stretch your arms up in the air, full of energy and vigor. “Ask away, big guy!”

There was a warm expression that radiated from Alexander as he spoke. “Would you be willing to help me conduct an experiment? I require another set of hands, and I won’t be able to achieve the results I want without them.”

“Uh, sure? What are we doing, something fun I hope?”

“In a manner of speaking, yes. I have no doubt the activities will result in a mess we will have to clean later, possibly consume.”

You warily looked at Alexander with a high degree of suspicion. The words ‘fun’ and ‘mess’ usually never came in proximity to each other when it involved the older Legend, but then again, he has surprised you a great deal times in the past.

You squinted at him mistrustfully as you slowly approached him. “Honey, you’re doing that thing again where you’re talking in riddles. Can you be a _little_ more specific?”

He uncrossed his arms and led you into the kitchen with a hand on your back. He took out an assortment of boxes and candy bags from out the cupboard and placed them onto the spacious countertop. All the while, you carefully examined the boxes to try to understand what Alexander was up to.

He pulled out a large baking bowl and asked, “Would you be so kind in aiding me in the construction of a gingerbread house?”

Like a lightbulb being turned on, you finally understood what he meant by ‘fun’ and ‘mess’. You grabbed the box of graham crackers and asked, “When did you even get this stuff or even have the time to?”

Alexander began preparing the icing by taking a few eggs out of the fridge.“Prior to my arrival. I would have arrived home sooner, but Ms. Paquette convinced me that it would be gratifying to partake in the holiday tradition of putting together a gingerbread house.”

“Uh-huh, and how did you manage to put the stuff into the pantry without me knowing?” You asked with genuine curiosity.

“Your _yearly_ tradition provided a distraction to effortlessly allow me to perform such a feat.”

You squinted at Alexander. “Uh-huh, is that right…?” You feigned offense once more but quickly, moved onto a more curious matter. “But, uh, I never took you for someone who participated in holiday tradition, especially with one that involved so many sweets.”

“Correct, but constructing a gingerbread house is something akin to science and engineering. I’m only interested in the creation of the house, not its destruction. However, it is vital that once I’ve accomplished my task, I shall leave it up to you to do what needs to be done.”

It was comical to hear Alexander utter those words—hilarious, actually. 

A smirk stretched across your face. “It’s just a gingerbread house, babe.”

He leaned over and gave you a soft kiss on the cheek before refocusing his attention on the task at hand.

* * *

For the next few hours, you and Alexander worked incessantly. You constantly needed to remind him that not everything needed to be perfect, but he was adamant about making sure the crackers were cut precisely, that there needed to be even layers of icing, and that the gumdrops were _required_ to be flawless. Truth be told, the two of you made the perfect team; he compensated for your imperfections and you pushed him out of the lines whenever he needed to be.  
  


Eventually, the _perfect_ gingerbread house was born. You took out your phone and took a picture of the structure. Once you were able to get the best angle in the best lighting, you proceeded to smear some icing on Alexander’s face; it was best to make some of the ‘mess’ you and Alexander discussed earlier. Your laughter echoed throughout the kitchen, but then, he immediately retaliated by giving you a kiss, smearing icing on your face.

“A-Alex!” You protested, still laughing.

In response, you threw a few gumdrops at him and within moments, the two of you stood in the middle of what looked like a battlefield. Alexander had icing all over his sweater and face and you had a large splatter of icing and gumdrops in your hair. The kitchen was in disarray, but neither of you cared.

“Okay, I surrender! No more!” You pant.

Alexander gently picked you up and smeared his face on yours, spreading icing between the two of you.

“AHH! Alex, stop!” You demanded as you continued to giggle.

He put you down and joined you in a harmony of laughter. 

“Okay, okay, okay, I’m waving my flag.” You waved your arm back and forth as if you held an imaginary flag, gesturing your surrender to the toxic trapper.

You and Alexander took a few moments to breathe. He coughed and continued to chuckle at your untidy appearance. “Now, I suggest we clean this before we have complications with pests.”

And just like that, you and he began cleaning the kitchen scrupulously. Even though this would be considered a chore, the two of you enjoyed each other’s company essentially negating the mundane factor. In no less than an hour, the kitchen was spotless; it was cleaner than when you started the process of assembling the gingerbread house. Fortunately, the majority of the mess resided on you and him. All that was left to do was to take a shower, then enjoy the structure that could give anyone diabetes with just a glance.

Alexander suggested that he shower first so that he could prepare dinner. He proceeded to wipe as much icing off as he could, then peeled his sweater off as he made his way down the hallway. While you waited for the shower, you cleaned yourself up as much as you could and went around the kitchen to make sure that there was not a single speck of icing to be found.

Within twenty minutes, Alexander was out of the shower smelling fresh. He walked out of the bedroom and into the kitchen with a completely different outfit—black slacks with a dark green dress shirt and an adorable Christmas sweater vest. If you weren't covered in icing, there would be no telling what you would do to or _with_ the Legend.

Alexander took charge of the kitchen while you went ahead and got yourself cleaned up. You were out of the shower relatively quickly, but the only dilemma was that you didn’t know what to wear. Your partner always made a point to look sharp when the occasion presented itself and today was Christmas. You rummaged through your closet and did your best to match or contrast his colors.

Dinner would be prepared within a few hours, so you decided it would be best to kill some time browsing the internet; it would be best to stay out of the kitchen while Alexander worked his magic—that man certainly knew how to whip up a delicious feast.

* * *

Alexander called out to you to let you know that dinner was prepared. As expected, a wide selection of food was beautifully arranged on the table and the smell was intoxicatingly delicious. You pulled yourself a chair and waited for him to finish perfecting the last dish.

Your heart grew in admiration for the Legend. You exaggerate a loud sigh. “Alex, can I marry you? You would make the best husband…”

He brought over a steaming pot of sauce that he carefully poured over your plate, then poured some over his plate. He smirked at you then retreated back into the kitchen.

He came back out and pulled up a chair next to you. He prepared his napkin and commented, “I am completely famished.”

You giggled at his comment as you took your first bite, immediately satisfying your mouth with an explosion of flavor. The two of you eagerly ate at your food, talking in between clanks of metal knives and forks. The conversations were natural and conventional. Alexander spoke tales about his time on Olympus, often referring to the advanced technology and gorgeous scenery. You did what you did best and listened to his calm, soothing voice.

Once dinner was finished, you helped Alexander with cleaning up, properly placing what was left into containers for future consumption or into the disposable.

Afterward, you accompanied each other to the couch where you would resume watching a different movie. You sat in his lap and rested your head on his chest as he affectionately wrapped an arm around you. You and he stayed like this for a while until you needed to use the bathroom. Once you returned to the couch, you opted to sit next to him—your butt was beginning to ache.

The two of you continued to cuddle on the couch as the last glimmer of sunlight disappeared from the sky. Time passed well into the night as you and he finished one more movie. As the final scene transitioned to the closing credits, you gave a great big yawn.

“Hey, honey, what time is it?” You ask sleepily.

Alexander checked the time on his new watch and replied, “Midnight. We should get to bed.”

You turned off the TV once you stood up to stretch. You then made your way to the bedroom to prepare for your nightly routine. Alexander changed out of his clothes and into his nightly attire, while you brushed your teeth. Once you finished rinsing your mouth, you went ahead and changed out of your clothes. Surprisingly, Alexander was the first one to finish; he left the bathroom and quickly got into bed. Usually, he was the one that took longer due to his meticulous routine, but he, too, was exhausted. 

Soon after, you turned off the bathroom lights and slid into bed next to your partner. You didn’t know if he was asleep just yet, so you whispered, “Hey, you still awake?”

“Hmm?” Alexander murmured softly, a clear indicator that he was teetering on the edge of sleep.

“Thanks for today. You really made Christmas magical.”

“It was my pleasure.” He slurred as he turned to face you with his eyes slightly open.

Even though the moonlight was only able to dimly light the room, you could still see Alexander’s green eyes in the dark. You gradually moved closer to his face then planted an intimate kiss on his lips. That was enough to bring Alexander back from the edge of sleep and into a more awake state. His time away on Olympus had starved the two of you of each other’s touch. As he carefully rolled over on top of you, his hands slid underneath your shirt. A soft moan escaped from your mouth, beginning the chain reaction that would eventually result in an explosive climax.

It was like a game of chess; once you made your move on him, he retaliated by making a move of his own. Each contender was set on dominating the other, but eventually, he managed to effortlessly crack through your defenses and seal his victory, making you submit to him. Although his victory was well-earned, he was eager to claim another victory. Dissatisfied and eager to overcome your loss, you took him on once more. You easily turned the tables on him this round, shattering his offenses and taking your place as the victor. You and he continued to trade victories and losses with extreme vigor throughout the night, refusing to accept true defeat.

In the end, the rigorous match resulted in a satisfying standstill with you and Alexander embracing each other completely exhausted. You rested your head on his chest as he held you close with a comforting arm. You and he remained in this position for several minutes before the older Legend got out of bed, making his way to the bathroom.

You whined from the sudden lack of warmth. You reluctantly got out of bed and joined Alexander in the shower. You and he took turns cleaning one another, but this gradually led to more intimate maneuvers—a bonus round, if you will. After another astounding tie, you and Alexander dried off and slid back into bed, embracing one another until you both slipped into unconsciousness, too fatigued to dream about anything.

* * *

The morning light illuminated the room, slowly bringing you out of your slumber. You groaned in discomfort as you wearily stretched, realizing how much of your body ached from the events of last night. You opened your eyes and inspected your bruised arm. From what you could tell, there weren’t that many, but unbeknownst to you, there were bruises scattered all over your body.

Suddenly an arm extended over and wrapped around your stomach pulling you in closer. You felt the warmth of Alexander’s rhythmic breathing against your neck as you lovingly took his hand in your own.

“I didn’t think an old man like you could bruise me to this degree.” You sleepily commented.

Alexander softly chuckled. “That would be a naive conclusion, dear.”

You winced as you turned on your other side to face your partner. He raised his arm to let you move, but let it rest on your waist after you settled in place.

A small smirk stretched across your face. “Yeah, but don’t think you didn’t come out of it without taking any hits, either.” You replied as you gazed into Alexander’s piercing green eyes. 

You scanned his upper body and noticed a similar array of bruising scattered in different places.

He barely winced as you playfully poked at the bruised areas.“Injuries are to be expected; it would be foolish to think otherwise.”

“Well, you eat bullets for breakfast, so coming from you, bruises are nothing.”

Alexander tenderly brushed your arm, hovering over your bruises. It was as if he was inspecting the damage, being careful not to hurt you any further. You noticed subtle hints of remorse in his expression; you knew he wasn’t the type to say it, but you understood the meaning behind it.

You caressed his arm and replied, “It’s okay, don’t worry about it. I’ll survive. A bruise or two won’t stop me from enjoying your company.” You smiled, reassuring him of your contentment.

Alexander slid closer to you and touched your forehead with his. He closed his eyes, completely captivated by your presence. He softly brushed your face, then leaned in for an intimate kiss. You were slightly caught off guard by the kiss; it was one of the very few times when he initiated the kiss of his own volition. You leaned into him and returned the kiss with passion equivalent to his. He slowly broke the kiss and muttered, “Merry Christmas.”

You beam with happiness as you giggled, “Merry Christmas to you, too, big guy.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I hoped you enjoyed it! I wasn't expecting to write as much as I did! I was hoping to get this out by Christmas, but I failed miserably. :( Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!


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